Consumer Choices
Using textile labels
Textile and apparel labels can help you con-
sider alternative choices and make better
Reading textile
buying decisions if you take time to read them.
labels can help This publication gives a brief explanation
you make wise about the various types of labels.
decisions about
Fiber content labels
what to purchase
Fibers are the basic building blocks of most
and help you
textile fabrics. Fiber content labels explain the
care for items fibers used in making textile products and
you already own. must not be false, deceptive, or misleading.
They should accompany clothing (except that for
pets, hats, and shoes), and most household textiles
(bedding, sleeping bags, curtains, draperies, floor
covering, cushions, furniture coverings,
towels, tablecloths), and items such as flags
and umbrellas. Fiber content labels are re-
quired by national laws: the Wool Products
Labeling Act; 1939, the Fur Products Labeling
Act, 1951; the Textile Fiber Product Identifica-
tion Act, 1960 (TFPIA); and their amendments.
These laws are administered by the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) and require that
manufacturers identify:
• all the fibers present that account for more
than 5 percent of the product’s weight
• each fiber class present in the item in percent
descending order by weight;
• the country of origin—for both processing
and manufacturing
• if made totally in the U.S. of U.S. materials
by labeling "made in U.S.A”
• material origin for items made in U.S. of
imported materials
• the manufacturer's name or Registered
Identification Number (RN)
• whether wool is new or recycled
Natural fibers are labeled by their common name:
cotton, linen, ramie, silk, and wool. Special
varieties of cotton, such as Egyptian, Pima, Sea
Island, or Upland may be named; if so, the percent-
age present in the fabric must be stated. Figure 1
shows cotton marketing symbols.
Popular wool marketing terms are “pure,”
meaning 100 percent; "virgin," meaning new;
and “lambswool,” meaning that it comes from
a younger sheep, so the fabric may be softer to
touch. Specialty fibers, such as angora, alpaca,
camel, cashmere, llama, mink, and rabbit, may
be called “wool” or listed by their specialty
names, with the percentage present given. The
Woolmark and Woolblend Mark are promo-
tional symbols used by the Wool Bureau, Inc.,
a trade association, to promote wool use. The
Woolmark is for 100 percent wool fabrics, and
the Woolblend Mark products have a mini-
mum of 60 percent pure wool with the balance
either natural or manufactured fibers. See
Figure 2. Generally, 25 percent or more by
weight is needed to alter the appearance, texture,
and performance of wool blend fabrics.
Fur product labels must be honest and state:
• the animal species
• the country of origin
• the name or Registered Identification
Number of the manufacturer (RN)
• the inclusion of paws, tails, or reused fur
• dyeing, coloring, or bleaching of fur
• if the fur is used or damaged
Fiber and fur content labels are very important
in international trade, especially with regard to
country of origin. There are additional rules
under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Customs
Service that govern products with internation-
ally-produced components.
Manufactured fibers (manmade of petro- and
agrochemicals) used in apparel and furnishing
textiles must be labeled according to generic
class names set by the FTC or by the Interna-
tional Standards Organization (ISO). A generic
name is given to manufactured fibers based on
their chemical composition. This is similar to a
family name. Individual trademark names may
be given by manufacturers to accompany generic
names to identify unique family members. The
generic class and sub-class names (indented)
Pm-733 Revised November 2003
Figure 1. Seal of Cotton learn the basic symbols. See Figure 3 and 4.
For piece goods, the care information is placed
on the end of the bolt or roll of fabric.

The PCL symbol system is intended to assist

The Seal of Cotton identifies products made of 100 percent U.S. upland cotton.
It is the registered trademark of Cotton Incorporated, a research and marketing
organization. Natural Blend Cotton must contain at least 60 percent of U.S.
upland cotton.
Figure 2. Woolmark and Woolblend symbols
international communication. For laundering,
four symbols–in order–must be used: wash-
ing, bleaching, drying, and ironing. Dry-
cleaning requires only the dry cleaning sym-
bol. An “X” through any symbol means “Do
not...[use the procedure].” Only the symbols
that consumers are likely to need to know are
shown in this publication. Dry cleaners use
both fiber content labels and PCLs to learn the
manufacturer’s recommended care for textiles.

The FTC administers the Permanent Care

The Woolmark symbol identifies 100 percent wool products; products of 60 percent
pure wool blended with other fibers may use the Woolblend Mark. This voluntary
labeling is sponsored by The Wool Bureau, Inc., a wool producers' trade association.
are shown in Table 1. The generic classes most
commonly found in wearing apparel are
starred (*). Other classes listed are used for
industrial purposes or protective clothing.
Labeling Rule. It requires that textile products
have labeling with one care instruction that
works. The labels must:
• appear on garments in visible or easily
found locations
• stay permanently attached for the life of
the garment
• warn against any particular care proce-
dure that might be harmful; and
• be based on reasonable evidence that the
care procedure is safe for the item

Table 1. Generic Classes Care labels may specify hand washing, ma-
(*Shows the fibers most often used in apparel) chine washing, or dry cleaning. If ironing is
needed for appearance, instructions must be
*Acetate Olefin given, but if hot ironing is safe, temperatures
*Triacetate *Lastol need not be listed. If bleaches are safe to use
*Acrylic *PLA on a regular basis, then their mention is not
Anidex *Polyester required. If no bleach is safe, then the label
Aramid *Elaterelle-p must say "no bleach." For dry-cleaning, if
Azlon *Rayon some solvents are not safe, then a recom-
Elastoester *Lyocell mended one must be listed.
Fluoropolymer *Rubber
Glass *Lastile The symbol system for PCLs was created by
Melamine Saran the American Society for Testing and Materials
Metallic *Spandex (ASTM) and it assumes that consumers will
*Modacrylic Sulfar understand common care procedures. For
Novoloid Vinal example, "permanent press" means that a cool-
*Nylon Vinyon down cycle or rinse in the washer will be used
Nytril before spinning to prevent wrinkling. "Drip
dry" means to hang without wringing or
Fibers differ in appearance, texture, durability, spinning that could introduce wrinkling.
and care required. In a fabric blend of two or "Drying flat" means to lay out the item hori-
more fibers, usually 15 percent of one fiber is zontally for drying. The symbol system is not
needed to make a difference in the fabric exactly the same as the care label system used
texture or performance. But, with spandex and in European countries under the ISO, but many
the newer stretch fibers, 3 percent or less can of the symbols are similar in the two systems.
add elasticity or stretch.
Several classes of merchandise are exempt
Care labels from PCL rules. These are:
Permanent Care Labels (PCL) use symbols to • disposables
explain how to care for wearing apparel and • garments needing no care
home sewing fabrics, so consumers need to • furnishing textiles
 • fur and leather goods Figure 3. ASTM Symbol System—Basic Symbols
• special decorative or ornamental items
• remnants cut and shipped by the manufac-
turer (mill ends)
• reversible garments
• imported goods in which the harshest wash bleach tumble dry press or iron dry clean do not
procedures are safe
• items for commercial use to institutional
buyers
• items with a special exemption obtained Figure 4. ASTM Symbol System—Additional Symbols
by the manufacturer
WASH
Flammability labels
Each year many burn injuries and deaths occur
because clothing catches fire. If clothing • water temperature up to
85oF=cold washing; low
machine wash
permanent press
ignites, the burn injury is often severe, result-
ing in permanent scarring. The Consumer
Product Safety Commission administers the
•• water temperature up to
105oF= cool washing; machine wash
Flammable Fabrics Act and other rules that are medium gentle
aimed at keeping the most dangerously
flammable fabrics off the consumer market.
However, most household and apparel fabrics
••• water temperature up to
120oF= warm washing;
high
will burn when in contact with a flame or heat
hand wash
source. Children’s sleepwear, mattresses, and do not wring
carpets are governed by flammability stan-
dards that require more rigorous tests than
that required for other wearing apparel and
home furnishings. If clothing is flame resistant
BLEACH
it is usually labeled to say so.

Labels on children’s sleepwear must warn if the

fabric is not flame resistant. Recently the children’s
sleepwear flammability standard was changed
non-chlorine, all fabric
bleach only ▲ do not bleach

so that cotton may be used in sleepwear

instead of flame-resistant fibers––only if the DRY
sleepwear is snug-fitting. For example, the label
may state: “WEAR SNUG FITTING. NOT
permanent press dry flat
FLAME RESISTANT.” [Cotton and most other
apparel fibers catch fire quickly and burn rapidly.]

Parents and others may prefer cotton for its delicate/gentle line dry
appearance, texture, and absorbency, but it is
easily ignited by contact with a candle, space
heater, or other heat source, if clothing fits
loosely. Flame resistant fibers are slow to drip dry dry in shade
ignite, burn slowly, and usually self-extinguish
when the source of heat is removed, thus
providing a little extra time to put out a fire IRON
and prevent burn injury. For more information
about fabric flammability see Facts about Fabric
low iron
Flammability, NCR-174, or www.cpsc.gov. high iron

Shrinkage labels medium iron

Fabrics may shrink or stretch out of shape no steam
during use and care, but generally blends that
contain synthetic fibers will shrink less than DRYCLEAN
will 100 percent cotton or wool. However,
blends with synthetic fibers are heat sensitive
and may shrink in the dryer if overheated. dry clean do not dry clean
Trademarked finishes to reduce fabric shrinkage
 sometimes are noted on labels. General terms Upland cotton: the cotton plant variety most
describing shrinkage are: commonly grown in the U. S. that is valued for
• 3 percent shrinkage—equivalent to reducing its fiber length, diameter, and uniformity.
the garment by about one size, altering fit. Woolen: fabric is thick and fuzzy because
• prewashed—less likely to shrink when wool fibers in yarns are short and partially
washed; with denim, this usually means a straightened.
soft, faded look. Worsted: fabric is smooth, lustrous, and
• preshrunk—a meaningless term that is not strong because fibers in wool yarns are
helpful. It fails to tell how much more the long, and combed to straighten
product will shrink when washed again.
Read before you buy
Union labels Read the labels before you buy textiles and
The Union of Needletrades, Industrial and apparel. Use the labels to make informed
Textile Employees (UNITE) represents about choices. Follow care labels as you wear and
Figure 5. Crafted 300,000 workers in the textile and garment care for items. Provide appropriate instruc-
with Pride in U.S.A. industries, resulting from the merger of the tions to dry cleaners about stains and any
International Ladies Garment Worker’s Union cautionary statements on the labels so that
(ILGWU) and the Amalgamated Clothing and they can serve you better. You pay for the
Textile Worker’s Union. Their aim is to edu- costs of labeling, you might as well get as
cate consumers about wages and working much benefit as you can from it.
conditions in clothing production at home and
abroad. See www.uniteunion.org. References
Collier, B. J., and Tortora, P.G. (2000) Under-
Crafted with Pride labels standing Textiles, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall,
Crafted with Pride in U.S.A. is a private council Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
that aims to educate consumers about the impor-
Consumer Product Safety Commission, (2002)
tance of U. S. manufacturing “to the long term
Code of Federal Regulations, Commercial
well-being of the United States and its people.”
Practices 16 Part 1602-1632. Subchapter D––
It campaigns to improve the competitive position
Flammable Fabrics Act Regulations, Rev. July 1.
of U.S. manufacturers in the international market-
place. Seewww.craftedwithpride.org. Federal Trade Commission (2003) “Textile
Wool, Fur, Apparel Matters.” Web page
Other common label terms that includes documentation for textile, fur,
Carded: Shorter, thicker cotton fibers provide a and care labeling laws and rules.
soft, durable fabric. www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/textilejump.htm.
Combed: Longer, straight cotton fibers lie
parallel and provide smooth, lustrous, and Federal Trade Commission (2003) “Threading
strong fabric. Your Way Through the Labeling Require-
Permanent or durable press: a chemical ments Under the Textile and Wool Acts,” A
treatment for cotton fabrics that increases publication for business to explain labeling
wrinkle resistance. rules. www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/
Pima: a high quality natural cotton fiber that is buspubs/thread.htm.
long, lustrous, and smooth.
Kadolph, S. and Langford, A., (2002) Textiles.
Pure: only one fiber type is used in the fabric.
9th Edition. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle
"Pure wool" is 100 percent wool and not a blend.
River, New Jersey.
Ramie: a cellulosic fiber grown in Asia that has
characteristics similar to linen. Stone, J. and Kadolph, S. (2003) Facts about
Raw silk: a rather stiff, crisp textured fabric that has Fabric Flammability, NCR 174, Iowa State
not been degummed (boiled) to remove the University Extension, Ames, Iowa
natural gum from the silkworm.

ASTM symbols provided by Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection.

File: Textiles and Prepared by Janis Stone, extension textiles and clothing specialist. Reviewed by Sara Kadolph, assistant
clothing 9 professor, textiles and clothing.
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